


Where You Go, I Follow

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 20:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8298767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: In some world, Dick Grayson was never revived by Lex Luthor, and was probably better for it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by ‘I Will Follow You’ by Toulouse. It gave me a lot of Dick and Damian together in the afterlife emotions, so. Here’s some word vomit for ya.

The angel – if they could be called that – was matter of fact.

“You’re dead, Richard Grayson.” They said simply, extending an arm. “Would you like to follow me?”

Dick could still feel the pangs of life. Could hear Bruce shouting, the commotion in that chamber, where Lex Luthor had killed him for the sake of humanity.

It was fading, though. The sounds becoming echoes the further he walked down this cloudy path with his guide. He glanced back a few times, wondered if he should break free and run back, try to escape. But he couldn’t see anything, didn’t feel anything, and decided to let this play out.

Because – and he guessed he could admit it here – as much as he loved Bruce and his siblings and all of his friends…he didn’t have much left there, in the world of the living. He hadn’t for a long time.

“…Can I ask where we’re going?” Dick hummed. “Is this Heaven?”

“It’s wherever you want it to be.” The angel returned clinically. Like a secretary at a dentist’s office. It struck Dick that they must have done this millions of times a day. “We’re going to get you all settled in. Make sure you understand what’s happening, and where you go from here.”

“From here?” Dick snorted. “So death really isn’t the end-all, huh?”

The angel finally cracked a smile over their shoulder. “They don’t call it the _afterlife_ for nothing, Dick.”

“…Can I go back?” Dick asked hesitantly, after a moment. The path was still foggy, and he could only see a few feet ahead of them or behind. Nothing on the sides. “I mean, you know what they say, about fighting to stay alive. Can I like…still beat you up and run back?”

“Hm.” The angel seemed to think. “Yeah, I suppose. If you truly wanted to.” They stopped so quickly, Dick almost ran into their back. They looked up at him. “ _Do_ you want to?”

Dick could still hear Bruce, but fainter. And found that he felt no guilt or remorse, when he smiled and said:

“No.”

The angel blinked, and returned the grin. They continued on.

They walked for another ten minutes at least, and Dick was starting to get restless. He still couldn’t see anything. And there were no sounds either. He looked back a few more times, but Bruce’s voice was gone. _Everything_ was gone.

Maybe he had made the wrong choice. Maybe he _should_ have fought to stay alive. Bruce still needed him, _he_ still needed his brothers, and Cassie. They weren’t dead, and he never wanted them to be. God, he was going to miss them so-

There was a shout ahead, and the angel froze in their tracks. “Oh, no.”

Another voice, calmer, trying to soothe. The first voice was having none of it, shouting back with a venom only reserved for when you’ve been wronged.

“What is it?” Dick asked, immediately getting into a defensive position. “Does this happen often?”

“Yes. Well, no. Not often, quantitatively. Most people accept when they die, like you already have.” The angel sighed, though they didn’t seem worried. “Just often with _this_ specific soul, the poor thing.”

The voices were louder now, like they were coming near them.

“I told you _before_ ,” The voice – young and haughty – snapped. “I don’t _want_ to stay, and I’m not _going_ to. There is _nothing_ you can do to force me, or so help me, I will take down every single _guardian_ you send after me.”

“Dear child,” Another angel begged. “Please, let us just sit down and talk about this. If visiting your family is what you wish to do, give them closure, we surely can schedule-”

“I’m not _visiting_.” The voice hissed, and suddenly Dick could see shapes through the clouds. “I’m _staying_ with them. They _need_ me.”

“You don’t _understand_ ,” The angel continued. And as the shapes got closer, Dick felt his heart inexplicably pounding. Because there was no way. There was _no way-_ “You family is going through a very difficult time, you don’t _know_ what just-”

“Well then,” And the shapes were close enough now, Dick could make out features. The angel was tall and skinny, trailing desperately behind a stomping, little child, who looked to be on a mission. His hair was dark, his skin tanned. He was still in a Robin uniform, but it wasn’t burned and bloody. It was whole and shiny. “Sounds like me family will need me all the-”

The boy stopped, when Dick and his own angel came into view too. The bright blue eyes widened in surprise, and his mouth gaped.

“…more.”

Dick’s eyes were already welling up with tears as he stepped around his guide without thought. The angel reached for him, but he ducked the grab, taking a few hesitant steps forward.

“…Damian?”

Damian just stared. In his periphery, Dick saw Damian’s angel sigh in defeat, and run a hand down their face.

“Grayson…?”

Dick grinned and rushed forward without warning. Both angels protested, but Dick didn’t care. Took Damian up in his arms, even as he sputtered in surprise, and squeezed him as tight as he never did.

“Hey, you.” Dick whispered, even as he pressed kiss after kiss to Damian’s cheek. “Long time no see.”

“You’re not supposed to _be here_.” Damian scolded, even as he threw his arms just as tightly and urgently around Dick’s neck. “You were _never_ supposed to _be here…!”_

“Neither you were you, kiddo.” Dick whispered. “I missed you so much, Damian.”

Damian hummed in some sort of agreement, but was too busy leaning around Dick’s shoulder, even as he wrapped his legs around Dick’s hips.

“Take him back!” He spat to the angel. “I don’t care _what_ happened, I don’t care what _rules_ you have to break. Take him back to the living _right now_!”

“…Damian, you know I cannot-”

“Sorry, bud. You’re stuck with me forever now.” Dick laughed against his face. “Turns out I’m _shit_ without a partner. And no one compared to you.” Damian leaned back, and his eyes were sad as he looked up at Dick. “Mind taking care of me for a little while longer?”

Damian watched him for a moment before smiling warmly. “…I suppose it _was_ awfully boring up here by myself. Not that I’m saying I _wanted_ you or _anyone_ in our family to _die_ to join me-”

“I know, I know. You wanted us safe.” Dick chuckled, and leaned his forehead against Damian’s, closing his eyes to try and stop those tears still, a fruitless endeavor. “But now that I’m here, I’m not leaving you again, even if you _wanted_ me to.”

“Never.” Damian replied instantly, and the hands on Dick’s shoulders squeezed. “I’d _never_ …please don’t.”

Dick grinned, even through his tears. “You’re so cute.” He laughed. “I’m so _happy_ to see you.”

And to his surprise, Damian smiled again too. Bright and happy and _beautiful_. “Me too, Grayson. Though, I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“We take what we can get.” Dick nodded. “And you and I are the best at adaptation.”

“We’re the best at _everything_.” Damian reminded cheekily. He paused, then, and then slowly leaned forward, ducking his head under Dick’s chin, wrapping his arms around Dick’s neck once more. Dick could only smile wider. “No matter what anyone thinks.”

Dick glanced back to his guide. “And the tour continues?”

The angel looked at their counterpart, who had come with Damian, and they shrugged. Dick’s angel nodded, and came around he and Damian, joining up with Damian’s angel, for them both to lead the way towards the afterlife once more.

Dick only hesitated for a second, to look back one more time.

And he felt guilty, that he _didn’t_ feel guilty. His whole world had crumbled when he’d lost Damian. And now that he had him back, safe, secure in his arms…this was a happiness he didn’t remember ever feeling before.

A _peace_ , he didn’t remember ever feeling before.

 _I got him, Bruce._ He thought with a grin, hoping – probably in vain – that his thoughts reached their father, wherever he was in relation to them. _Don’t you worry about him. Damian’s not lost anymore. And neither am I. I’ve got him. He’s got me._

He waited one more moment. Looked back into the clouds, and prayed a silent goodbye to his family. Whispered a quiet ‘I love you.’ Then turned back to follow the angels, Damian tight and safe in his arms as he stepped off after them.


End file.
